Rest of 2008 -- and beyond -- looks grim for Seahawks

The return of a few of Seattle's top players from injury this week sparked rich fantasy talk from a few Seahawks about still fighting for a playoff berth, winning seven in a row and finishing 9-7.

Can't blame players for psyching themselves up to salvage a once-promising season that went south in a hailstorm of injuries.

But the reality is that this team will not win seven consecutive games to close out the Mike Holmgren era with some respectability. And the Seahawks probably won't win seven games all of next season, either.

Sunday's return of quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and wide receiver Deion Branch won't begin to mask the erosion of a team that ruled its division for four seasons and reached a Super Bowl. The Seahawks' championship window has slammed shut, and looking ahead there's not much evidence to suggest that it will reopen anytime soon. Healthy roster, or not.

AP PhotoCould releasing wide receiver Deion Branch during the offseason be part of a Seattle rebuilding plan?

Veteran stars are aging. Young players aren't producing. And competition within the NFC West has risen. Arizona (6-3) can put Seattle (2-7) out of its misery with a win at Qwest Field on Sunday.

Holmgren's successor-to-be, Jim Mora, has a tough task ahead. And it will be a busy couple of years for general manager Tim Ruskell to fix a fading team.

Start with Hasselbeck, who might be the least of the team's worries moving forward but a concern nonetheless. He missed five games this year with a bulging disk in his back. Once the back goes in football, the rest of the body follows.

At one point, doctors told Hasselbeck that he might want to shut it down this season. It appears he's improved enough to give it a go. But what about next season? He'll be 34. Not quite too old for a quarterback -- see Arizona's Kurt Warner, 37, and the N.Y. Jets' Brett Favre, 39 -- but still reason for caution given Hasselbeck's mounting injuries.

And what kind of quarterback will he be without Holmgren around? Chances are, Mora will implement the West Coast offense just as he did in Atlanta. But clearly Seattle must begin considering looking for help at quarterback. Seneca Wallace is a career backup.

That brings us to the team's biggest concern: Who will surround Hasselbeck?

The offensive line has been suspect since Seattle allowed Pro Bowl guard Steve Hutchinson to leave for Minnesota following the 2005 Super Bowl season. Left tackle Walter Jones is in his 12th season, and a host of young offensive linemen have yet to demonstrate much consistency or durability.

At wide receiver, 13-year veteran Bobby Engram likely won't be brought back. And Ruskell should consider releasing Branch, who has missed 14 games during the past two seasons and is costing the team $6.8 million, not to mention the first-round pick it traded New England to get him in 2006.

At running back, the team is handcuffed by the sudden fall of Shaun Alexander, who is now with Washington. Julius Jones was a nice addition, but he's not a franchise back like Alexander was.

All of these issues leave Hasselbeck without the tools he needs to turn around the offense, this year or next.

And that defense. Wow! Was there a more overrated unit in all of football coming into the season? The group ranks right down there with lowly Cleveland at 27th in the league. And it's getting old in a hurry. Defensive end Patrick Kerney, battling a bum shoulder, is in his 10th season, and safety Deion Grant and linebacker Julian Peterson are in their ninth seasons.

Other than middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu, the younger players on defense have been suspect at best. Even sixth-year cornerback Marcus Trufant, who signed a $50.2million contract after snagging a career-high seven interceptions last year, has not performed as well in 2008 and has zero interceptions.

Bottom line: There is not much for this team to hang its hopes on moving forward.

Luckily, the team should have money to spend. Seattle's payroll this season is a manageable $103 million, well under the $116 million salary cap. So, maneuverability exists, especially after a couple of players with undesirable contracts, such as Branch, are released.

But impact players cost money. And Seattle needs more help than it could possible afford to acquire in one offseason.

In many ways, Holmgren is getting out just in time.

"This is the same team that we were a game away from the championship game for the last two years, the Super Bowl the year before that," he told reporters Wednesday. "It's the same group of guys, basically. Look, back in training camp, when I talked to you, I don't just say what I think. I came in with high expectations for this season."